First Christian Houston a Disciples of Christ congregation open. welcoming. compassionate.

December 24, 2020 – Eve Lessons & Carols

WELCOME & BIDDING PRAYER

HYMN 148 O Come, All Ye Faithful

CANDLE LIGHTING & LORD’S PRAYER

THE NATIVITY STORY

Luke 1:26-38 The ’s Announcement

HYMN 150 Hark! the Herald Sing

Luke 2:1-7 The Birth of Jesus

HYMN 151 The First Noel

Luke 2:8-14 Angels Appear to Shepherds

HYMN 143 Joy to the World

Luke 2:15-20 The Shepherds Visit Christ

HYMN 155 Angels We Have Heard on High

Matthew 2:1-12 The Magi Arrive

HYMN 172 We Three Kings

REFLECTIVE MUSIC O Little Town of Bethlehem

REFLECTION Prince of Peace

HYMN 145 Silent Night, Holy Night

CANDLE LIGHTING &

1 First Christian Houston a Disciples of Christ congregation open. welcoming. compassionate.

December 24, 2020 – Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols

O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING Hymnal 148 Chalice Hymnal 150

O come, all ye faithful, Hark! the herald-angels sing, joyful and triumphant, “Glory to the new-born King; O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; peace on earth, and mercy mild, come and behold him, God and sinners reconciled!” born the King of angels; Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; Refrain: with the angelic host proclaim, O come, let us adore him, “Christ is born in Bethlehem.” O come, let us adore him, Hark! the herald-angels sing, O come, let us adore him, Christ the “Glory to the new-born King!” Lord! Christ, by highest heaven adored; Sing, of angels, Christ, the everlasting Lord! sing in exultation, Late in time behold him come, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! offspring of the Virgin’s womb. Glory to God, all Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; glory in the highest; [Refrain] hail the incarnate Deity, pleased in flesh with us to dwell, Child, for us sinners Jesus, our Emmanuel. poor and in the manger, Hark! the herald-angels sing, we would embrace thee, with love and “Glory to the new-born King!” awe; who would not love thee, Hail, the heaven-born Prince of loving us so dearly? [Refrain] Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Light and life to all he brings, born for our salvation, risen with healing in his wings, Jesus, to thee be all glory given; mild he lays his glory by, Word of the Father, born that we no more may die, now in flesh appearing; [Refrain] born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! the herald-angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!”

2 First Christian Houston a Disciples of Christ congregation open. welcoming. compassionate.

THE FIRST NOEL JOY TO THE WORLD Chalice Hymnal 151 Chalice Hymnal 143

The first Noel, the angel did say, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! was to certain poor shepherds in Let earth receive her King; fields as they lay; let every heart prepare him room, in fields where they lay keeping their and heaven and nature sing, sheep, and heaven and nature sing, on a cold winter’s night that was so and heaven, and heaven and nature deep. sing.

Refrain: Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Let all their songs employ; born is the King of Israel. while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains They looked up and saw a star, repeat the sounding joy, shining in the east, beyond them far, repeat the sounding joy, and to the earth it gave great light, repeat, repeat the sounding joy. and so it continued both day and night. [Refrain] He rules the world with truth and grace, And by the light of that same star and makes the nations prove three wise men came from country the glories of his righteousness, far; and wonders of his love, to seek for a king was their intent, and wonders of his love, and to follow the star wherever it went. and wonders, wonders of his love. [Refrain]

This star drew nigh to the northwest, o’er Bethlehem it took its rest, and there it did both stop and stay, right over the place where Jesus lay. [Refrain]

Then entered in those wise men three, full reverently upon their knee, and offered there, in his presence, their gold and myrrh and frankincense. [Refrain]

3 First Christian Houston a Disciples of Christ congregation open. welcoming. compassionate.

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON WE THREE KINGS HIGH Chalice Hymnal 172 Chalice Hymnal 155 We three kings of Orient are; Angels we have heard on high, bearing gifts we traverse afar, sweetly singing o’er the plains, field and fountain, moor and and the mountains in reply mountain, echoing their joyous strains. following yonder star.

Refrain: Refrain: , in excelsis Deo! O star of wonder, star of night, Gloria, in excelsis Deo! star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, Shepherds, why this jubilee? guide us to thy perfect light. Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, which inspire your heavenly song? gold I bring to crown him again, [Refrain] King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. Come to Bethlehem and see Christ, who comes in lowly birth. Frankincense to offer have I; Come adore on bended knee owns a Deity nigh; Jesus, joy of heav’n and earth. prayer and praising, voices raising, [Refrain] worshiping God on high.

See within a manger laid, Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume Christ, whom choirs of angels praise; breathes a life of gathering gloom; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, while our hearts in love we raise. sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain] Glorious now behold him arise; Christ and God and sacrifice: , alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies. (Refrain)

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SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT Chalice Hymnal 145

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night. shepherds quake at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ, the Savior is born! Christ, the Savior is born!

3 Silent night, holy night. Son of God, love’s pure light radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light; with the angels let us sing, alleluia to our King; Christ, the Savior, is born, Christ, the Savior, is born.

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